Redemption
by MmStormer
Summary: After season 2 finally,but before "Solzin's Comet". In a town shopping for supplies, the Gaang gets into some trouble. Katara get separated from her friends and an unlikely 'someone' tries to prove he's good by saving her. Katara/Blue Spirit Katara/Zuko


**Redemption**

Chapter 1

"Aang, you know we need to stop for supplied, even Appa is tired. He's been flying five days straight!" I said.

"Yeah, Katara got you there. I mean, we haven't seen Zuko, Azula or her crazy friends. And we're all winded." Sokka voiced in.

"Yeah, and I haven't been able to see a single thing since we last landed! Come on, Aang!" Toph said.

"Okay! We'll land at that town over there." Aang said, pointing at a town only an hour away.

"Finally!" Toph yelled.

Landing outside the town, Aang left Appa with Mom, and they walked to town.

"Hey, Katara, can I get a lemur caller?" Aang begged.

"Aang, you know we can not afford that. Come on, put it back." I told Aang.

"Aw…what about-"

"No."

"Why not thi-"

"No, Aang. We can't afford those things and our needed supplies!"

"Fine…" Aang replied, sulking behind Sokka and Toph.

I went over to a fruit merchant and bought some pears, peaches, apples, and some leachy nuts. "What other food do we need, guys?" I asked.

"Meat!" Sokka chimed before anyone else could say a word. All of us laughed.

"Can you stop Aa-"

"Firebenders!" Sokka interrupted me.

"Great! Who's it this time?" Toph asked sarcastically.

"Come on, we have to stop them from burning down the town!" Sokka yelled, seeing numerous firebenders setting houses ablaze. All of them charged. Sokka was the first to go down when he got a fire kick in the stomach. Then Aang was burned and couldn't get up. And Toph's feet were charred, so she was really blind now. But Katara knew none of this. Also unbeknownst to her was that she was being leered farther and farther away from her fallen friends.

Getting low on water, I tried to limit my water on each attach. This became even harder, since I was now surrounded. "You will not live to see the next day." One of the firebenders said.

I looked around, nervous and afraid. Sweat dripping from my brow. I attached an other firebender, but was down to less than a quart of water now and it was quickly evaporating in the hear. My heart pounding, eyes darting back and forth, and mind racing. I shook my head, not knowing what to do. _I'm all by myself. Uhg! How? I'm going to die!_ I thought to myself as I saw the firebenders summoning more fire and about to shoot directly at me. I worded off the attack, but it cost me the rest of my water.

The firebender's circle around me tightened as they got closer. They all summoned more fire and was about to shoot, dealing the final blow. I covered my head, preparing to die as my life flashed before me. I even noticed that when I looked at Zuko my heart soared; and when he had tied me to that tree with those pirates and had whispered things into my ear from behind me, I was sure I was going to faint if I hadn't been tied up to the tree. I can't believe it! I think I…like…Zuko! And I never had the chance to tell him! Aunt Wu even said I would marry a powerful bender. He is…

All these thoughts soared through my mind, all within milliseconds. But they were interrupted when a semi-familiar voice yelled "No!" distracting the firebenders as well. They all turned their head to face the Blue Spirit, swords drawn. He took out almost all of them within seconds with precise slashes of his doa broad swords.

The Blue Spirit walked over to me and extended his hand towards mine. Shakily, I reached out to grasp his black silk covered hand. The hand grasped my shaky hand and pulled me up so that my face was inches away from his blue and white mast. My heart sped faster as I felt the heat radiating from his chest that was only inches away from mine.

I cast my eyes downward, trying to look away, and whispered "Thank you. But why?" I asked, looking through the black slit eyes of his mask which showed nothing of the owner's identity.

"Because I-" a familiar voice started, but was cut off.

"You two are NOT escaping me _again_!" said a crewel voice. I turned around to face Admiral Zhou. A shiver ran through me and I felt the warm hands of the Blue Spirit pull be protectively behind him and then he pulled out his doa browns swords.

"You can't defeat me, you traitor!" Zhou hollered over the screams of the villagers, mourning their dead ones.

"You will pay Zhou! I will not let you do any more damage to any other nation!" the Blue yelled back.

"You wanna bet?" Zhou asked.

"Bring it on monkey face!" the Blue Spirit retaliated. Both got into their fighting stances. Zhou summoned fire, while the Blue Spirit had his brown swords out, ready for anything. Circling one anther, they got closer and closer as swords flashed and flames flared. Holding my breath, I watched as the Blue Spirit fought Zhou. My savior came close to death numerous times, but managed to hold in.

I looked around for water, desperate to help. Finally, I found some water and summoned it to my command. Rushing to aid the Blue Spirit in battle, I launched numerous icicles that ripped through Zhou's armor, entering into his calves, bringing him to his knees. Then I threw two more icicles that penetrated his hands, rendering his defenseless without his firebending.

"There's no way to escape this death like you did the one in the Northern Water Tri-" Before the Blue Spirit could finish his statement, Zhou threw a dagger towards my heart. Too afraid to move, I was frozen in place. The Blue Spirit lunged in front of me, taking the impact of the dagger he coupled to the ground in pain. I ran over to my fallen savior, afraid that a vital organ might have been hit. When I was going to remove his robes that covered his chest to look at the damage, he shook his head and struggled to stand up. I helped him stand up and he directed his gaze to the scowling Zhou. Carefully, I helped him walk over to where Zhou was kneeling in pain, hands bleeding. The Blue Spirit took raspy gasps of breath as he picked up his fallen doa brown swords. Shakily he held up his swords and crossed them over his Zhou's neck. Averting my eyes, as the two blades made a clean slice at Zhou's neck in one single swipe.

I could feel the Blue Spirit couple over in pain and release the two blades as they clanked on the ground. And I saw him crumble to the ground, once more. Without hesitation, I quickly tried to gather water from anywhere, including any of the plants near by, and I knew it still wouldn't be enough to heal to wounds made by the blade deep below the tissue. I pulled back the Blue Spirit's black silk that covered his chest to reveal a blood soaked chest and a dagger right about were his heart was. I knew what I had to do, even if the thought made me cringe with discuss. I waved my hand, and with a solemn face, I bloodbended his wound so there would be no more damage afterwards. Gathering the previous water gathered, I made a water glove around my hand and placed it on top of his wound. Gently, I pulled my hand back after I was sure that the tissue was fully healed.

After cleaning the dagger I placed it in my boot, knowing it will be useful in the future. Then, I studied the unconscious figure. He had numerous scars planted upon his strong, well-built, abed chest. I could feel a faint blush creep over my face as I started to heal his chest from burns and cut he had also received. Slowly, I began to work up the courage to lift his mask to see who it was whom had protected and saved my life. As my hand reached for the mask, a warm hand suddenly grasped my hand, preventing me from removing the mask."

"No. You can't see who I am." The Blue Spirit said sadly. He didn't want Katara to reject him.

"But why can't I see the face of my rescuer?" I asked.

"You just can't." The Blue Spirit looked away sadly and got up. He started to walk away.

"Thank you, Blue Spirit. I'm in your debt. Whenever you have a need of any assistance, just try and find me. I will help you, no matter who you are. But…how will I know that it is _you_ and not someone else trying to pass as you?" I thought aloud.

"The Blue Spirit stopped walking and turned around. Then he walked over to me so that his mask was right next to me ear. "I'll say Zhou, for we both have fought him together." The Blue Spirit whispered.

I nodded and turned to face the masked man. Leaning in, I gently placed a kiss on where I guessed his lips would be if he wasn't masked. "Thank you." I whispered again after giving his a quick hug, my heart pounding like rampage drums inside my chest. Warmth began to radiate from the Blue Spirit, and he hugged me back.

"Till we meet again, Katara." the Blue Spirit whispered in my ear. I felt like sparks went throughout my entire body, starting at my ear, just like when Zuko had whispered something into my ear when I was tied to that tree…

By the time I had came out of my thoughts, the Blue Spirit had just rounded a corner that was a couple hundred feet ahead. Running, I chased after him, hoping I wouldn't loose him. "Wait! Don't go!" I hollered as he sped up his pace.

_I can't loose him! I have to tell him something! _I told myself as I continued to chase him. "Please! I need to tell you something!" I yelled throughout the crowd of people who were beginning to come out again.

I saw the Blue Spirit turn around, and I quickened my pace. Then he ran into a dark ally and I quickly fallowed in close pursuit and finally caught up with him.

"Please…I need…to tell…you…that…"I huffed, breathing rigidly and then everything went black as I crumbled to the ground after a heavy blow was given to the back of my head.

The Blue Spirit had purposefully lead Katara into an ally so they could talk alone, but he wasn't expecting a ragged clothed man to know Katara unconscious.

"Keep away from her!" the Blue Spirit yelled at the man, holding out his broad doa swords. The man's face paled, seeing a masked figure he hadn't noticed before with two broad swords pointed directly at him. The man backed away and ran out of the ally.

The Blue Spirit walked over to the unconscious waterbender and gently picked her up and carried her to an apartment that was right above a tea shop.


End file.
